earthbox plant question

hald · June 4, 2007

I'm using the earthbox method for 12 tomatoes. 10 of the plants are spectacular, all are producing, 2 seem dwarf, although they have fruit set that are good size.
The 2 that seem dwarf are both Early Girl's and are setting side by side. I've noticed they use significantly less water than the others.

The containers are large round white ones with water reservoirs in the bottom. The soil was "super soil" reused from last year and amended with lime and a weak hydroponic solution when first planting. They have a "nutrient complete" dry fert on the soil surface which is covered with black plastic taped in place. The only disease problem any of them have had are tomato worms so obviously they all appear extremely healthy.

Is it possible I bought a dwarf variety of Early Girl? The size difference really puzzles me.
-Hal

Tomatovator · June 4, 2007

The same thing happened to me last year. I bought an Early Girl plant and ended up with Early Girl Bush plant. The nursery was selling both varieties and the labels must have been switched. I'm not sure if there is a dwarf variety of Early Girl but there is an Early Girl Bush that would be smaller than the indeterminate Early Girl. From what I've read the bush Early Girl shares the name with the indeterminate but is not related to it.

June 4, 2007	#1
hald Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fresno, CA Posts: 23	earthbox plant question I'm using the earthbox method for 12 tomatoes. 10 of the plants are spectacular, all are producing, 2 seem dwarf, although they have fruit set that are good size. The 2 that seem dwarf are both Early Girl's and are setting side by side. I've noticed they use significantly less water than the others. The containers are large round white ones with water reservoirs in the bottom. The soil was "super soil" reused from last year and amended with lime and a weak hydroponic solution when first planting. They have a "nutrient complete" dry fert on the soil surface which is covered with black plastic taped in place. The only disease problem any of them have had are tomato worms so obviously they all appear extremely healthy. Is it possible I bought a dwarf variety of Early Girl? The size difference really puzzles me. -Hal

June 4, 2007	#2
Tomatovator Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Zone 6 Posts: 461	The same thing happened to me last year. I bought an Early Girl plant and ended up with Early Girl Bush plant. The nursery was selling both varieties and the labels must have been switched. I'm not sure if there is a dwarf variety of Early Girl but there is an Early Girl Bush that would be smaller than the indeterminate Early Girl. From what I've read the bush Early Girl shares the name with the indeterminate but is not related to it.